Statcounter

Tag: Paltonarch

As with Lobos before him and Marija After him, Telaxus has a little bit of background I need to go over. He is a terrible being of evil, through and through, and for that he had a coalition of gods trap him in an ornate jambiya locked him away for, what they thought was all eternity. Instead, of course, he exerted his influence and an unknown person found the knife and brought it to the world. There, it feel into the hands of a group of adventurers who I was DMing, and through their very actions (and inaction) they freed the god of Sacrifice, torture and murder from his god-created prison. though it involved the self-sacrifice of one of the player characters, Uplik, he was resurrected by Telaxus immediately to serve as his high priest, where he has served admirably ever sense.

Telaxus, God of Sacrifice

Other Titles: Murderking, The One Who Wants Death, Bloodseeker

Alignment: LE

Weapon: Jambiya

Major Domains: Murder, Sacrifice, Torture

Minor Domains: Punishment, Prisoners, Slaves

Totem Animal/Warform: Jackal (the warform is composed of magma and soot, with burning teeth and a tail that vanishes in the wind)

Holy Symbol: A thin, skin choker, dyed blood red.

Favored Appearances: Almost universially, the forms of Telaxus are dark, brooding and full of menace. While there are others in the pantheon who wish to be among the people of Kasan, Telaxus is not one of them. Where he walks, strife and pain follow. his curly, dark hair frames a round, dark face bearing multiple angry scars and angry read eyes. He is of average height, if not a shade taller, and his build belies not that of a warrior, but a well fed and strong farmer. He often wears a dark and long robe with a broad hood and a vest of red and black. He carries his jambiya with him at all times.

His female form is that of an elf, many times, with dark skin and harsh features. Her long, dark curly hair frames a face that wears a perpetual frown that bleeds into her eyes and even her posture, creating a hostile demeanor. to any and all around her. She, too, wears a dark robe, hood and vest with a jambiya on her hip at all times.

Personality: Telaxus is a violent loner, prone to lashing out at those around him but easily appeased with gifts and offerings. His favored music is the screams the the tortured and the damned, reaching his ears across the cosmos. Though he chaffs at the thought of the other gods who thought him to reckless and terrible to be free and trapped him within his prison, he does not hold the grudges deeply. Instead, he focuses on combating the Accursed and their minions in the Iron Marches. On Kasan, however, he takes a much deeper and involved interest, personally leading and recruiting his empires across the world. Though he is newly freed he has, with his archpriest Uplik, gained a strong following in some depraved parts of the world.

Teachings: Telaxus portfolio leads his followers down a dark and sinister path, one covered in the blood of others. Murder is the most basic form of worship to Telaxus, and it is the solution to all the wrongs. Do you want something someone has? Kill them. Has someone wronged you or your family? Kill them. Are there tensions between you and a noble because your sleeping with his wife? Kill them. There is no problem to Telaxus that cannot be solved with a knife between the ribs. Sacrifice, too, is dear to Telaxus, though not just any sacrifice, though it does just fine in a pinch. What pleases most is the sacrifice of intelligent members of the community for a specific goal that seems insurmountable. This piggybacks off of the previous tenant. If there is a problem, kill someone. In addition to killing for gain, he has a very miserable streak when it comes to those who are a problem. Torture, slavery and imprisonment are the favored of many forms of punishment, Telaxus does not shed tears, he sheds blood.

Abode: The Crimson Rampart is one of the foremost bastions of Paltonarch power in the Iron Marches. Both as a newcomer and an unwanted guest, Telaxus lives here, an army of chosen dead filtering both too and from the battlefields of the center of the Marches. It is here that the enemy are brought to be tortured and eventually killed for the information they contain and the deeds they have committed.

Clergy: Priests of Telaxus are not only rare, they are heavily shunned by most of society. Constantly seeking to solve problems with the blood of others, bullying and threatening murder on those who displease them and training in the art of torture has given them a fearsome and deserved reputation.

Knightly Order: The Daughters of Violence are women dedicated to the lord of murder in the most visceral way, wandering from town to town and city to city offering to solve the problems of the community through the violent and bloody solutions their lord offers. Adept at their gods handiwork, they are sometimes the last desperate hope of a failing town.

Clerical Attire: The Clerics and Priests of Telaxus wear the same vestments as their god, a long black robe with a hood and a black-and-red vest. Often they have their Choker prominently displayed but there are times when discretion is the better part of their work.

Followers: Murderers, theives, and outcasts, along with warriors of ill repute and priests who often need to sacrifice to the gods. Executioners, inquisitors and even judges sometimes follow the god of knives.

Before I get started, I wanted to say a few things about the last four gods I am going to write about. These gods: Drakken, Telaxus, Marija and Lobos are each unique, even to the pantheon, and represent either a concept that is unique, or events that transpired due to my players actions in the campaigns I have run. Each of them is going to get a short overview before I launch into the details and try to describe them.

Lobos, the God of Time, is an anomaly in the pantheon in that he is not, truly part of it the way others are. Lobos simply appeared one day, before the Godswar, and spoke his name and title, Lobos, Lord of the Inevitable. He came from beyond time itself, and spoke of residing among them, not as one of the, but of one of them. His demeanor brooked no argument, and his bearing no retort. Since that time he has fought, bleed and supported the Paltonarchs against first the rebels and then the Accursed. There are none among the paltonarchs who would say they know him well, for he has always kept his distance. Aloof and distant from even his fellows, Lobos is an enigma to all.

Lobos, God of Time

Other Titles: The Ineveitable One, The Unending, Outsider, Castellan of Nothingness

Alignment: NE

Weapon: Scythe (Domaragon – “The End of Ages”)

Major Domains: Time, Inevitability, Fate

Minor Domains: Destruction, Aging, Void

Totem Animal/Warform: Frogs (The warform is that of a black, starfilled frog with vast teeth of solidified nothingness, with eyes that see through time in all directions)

Holy Symbol: An hourglass with black sand flowing up instead of down.

Favored Appearances: Lobos, not one to stick with forms and conventions, has a single androgynous form that he uses in every interaction. He is of average height, around 5’8″ and of slender build. He has an extremely angular face, with almond shaped eyes that are completely black. Thin lips, a sharp nose and a high forehead complete the image. He keeps his long, grey-blue hair in a ponytail which often rests over his shoulder and onto his chest. He is neither muscular nor lean, though his pale grey skin often has him perceived as thinner than he is. He is never without his scythe, the great weapon that will destroy time itself at the end of days. Other than that single weapon, however, he is without personal protection or weaponry, wearing instead a peasants clothes of trousers and shirt, with an over-tunic of dark gray, hood pulled over his head to shadow his face.

Personality: Lobos is a loner, keeping his own company and preferring it that way over any. Only his followers and devoted aren’t sent away on their arrival to the Gates of Time. Few Gods, if any, are able to attend him and be welcomed among his small host. Lobos seems often distracted, his mind of in other dimensions and times, seeing both what was, what will be, and what could have been. However, once his mind is fixated on a topic or event, he becomes singularly focused, able to see with great clarity the outcome and how swiftly he can bring it about.

Teachings: There is little joy in the passing of time, and even that little bit is not celebrated by the adherents of Lobos. It is taught that all things pass into oblivion, given enough time, and that the end of all things is the fate of the world. To fight and resist that fate, that great darkness and the void beyond even the war in the Iron Marches, is folly. All things must pass through time, and all things must one day end. Lobos will be there to greet them. The only ending, the only finale, the only way out, is complete, utter and consuming annihilation.

Abode: Even among the gods, Lobos is solitary and prefers the company of himself to that of others. The Gates of Time lie the farthest back on the Paltonarch controlled side of the marches, near the western Unknown Reaches. There, it is said that he sits and contemplates the end of the world and time itself unless called upon by the other gods for aid.

Clergy: The priests and followers of Lobos are responsible for little among the civilized lands of the world, though often in the more savage areas he is revered as a second death god, next to Dagor. Temples of lobos provide no succor to the weak, the infirm or the injured, and provide no asylum or refuge for the poor and weak. Instead, they are warrior-monks, preparing their bodies and their minds for the end times. They train their minds, bodies and souls for that moment that they are pulled away, called to fight the the Last War with Lobos at the head of an army of devoted and fearless warriors. None of his warriors have ever been seen on the Iron Marchs, and it is said that He and all his followers fight a Hidden War against unknown beings of immense power. Though Lobos has seen the end, the failure of the Last War, the Gods and his devotees, he knows it is the only thing that can be done.

Knightly Order:It could be said that all of Lobos followers are a knightly order, but even among those dedicated to a cause, there are those more dedicated. The Knights of Times Eye are those fanatics. armored in dark gray and wielding great scythes of unspeakable power, they seek not to hone their bodies and minds in the rigors of a monastery or a church, but hunting those who would defy the end of time. In a similar vein to the priests of Dagor, the Knights of the Eye hate the undead, but they also hunt those who have defied time in other ways. Immortals, demons, dragons. Beings that simply live for seeming eternities. The Knights of the Eye seek them out and strive to destroy them, both as an act of devotion and as a test to their skills and prowess.

Clerical Attire: Lobos prefers neutral grays and blacks, with the rare white as an accent. Many of his agents sport a hood or color, and a white hood has become a well known symbol of the followers of this faith. Preference is not given for either robes, clothes or any other fashion, though often it is armor that has a need to be dyed, lacquered or other form of stained to denote the faith.

Followers: Few Elves take of the worship of one who hates immortal beings, though some have found their self loathing to be a great fuel for his faith. Warriors and Monks tend to gravitate to following Lobos, though few others do. Mages, sometimes, but only for as long as they can naturally live.

Maltara, God of Disease

Major Domains: Disease, Recovery, ConstitutionMinor Domains:Weeding out the weak, Anatomy, CarrionTotem Animal/Warform: Great Lizard/Monitor Lizards (The Warform is composed of Stone, Wind, Lightning and gems)

Favored Appearances: Maltara tends to walk the world rarely, and when he does it is an ill tiding among many of the peoples of Kasan. Were he travels, disease and death follow, and many do not survive his presence. Those who do describe a particularly horrifying form. His hair is falling out in great patches on his head, leaving the rest of it a patchwork of short dark hair and scabs. His wide, flat face is covered in rashes and blisters, his bloodshot eyes bulge from his head, his teeth are rotten and his breath fetid. The skin on his arms and legs split, oozing a viscus type of ichor that slides down and drips from his fingers and lingers in his footprints. coughs punctuate his sentences and breaths, spreading his captured diseases. His body, no matter the outward signs that it should be on deaths door, is fit and strong. His callused fists are hard as bone and the arms are muscular enough to do significant damage with them. His legs easily gobble up the land in long, powerful strides and grant him surprising agility for a person in his condition.

both forms have the same basic appearance, though he walks the world as a human in his female form and as a halfling in his male. In both forms his preferred garment is that of the robe of his priesthood, a brilliant green and bone. When trying to pass undetected, he walks with the hood up and quietly, though his coughing breaks through. When embodying a plague to walk the lands, he walks with the cowl down, his brilliant yellow eyes betraying his diseased Nature.

Personality: Despite all his appearances and the suppositions many have about him, Maltara is a jovial being. He enjoys talking the finer points of the merits of civilization, the best methods of recovery from illness, and how best to stave off an early grave. Pleasant and charming though he is, he is relentless in his pursuit of a better and stronger world, as he sees it. He desires to infect the world with all the plagues that he can create and foster, so that only the strong survive to worship him. He is ruthless to those he feels are weak, however, and feels no pity or mercy when they die or fail, doing his best to expedite it whenever possible. He does this, as one would expect, through a series of diseases, set up in an order that tests every possible angle of weakness and vulnerability. Those who approach him and survive this ordeal become his most chosen servants. Those who do not are discarded, dying a miserable and terrible death.

Teachings: The body is the door to the soul, and the soul must be strong in order to prevail in this terrible world. You cannot expect the world to be kind to you, so you must be unkind to it back. Maltara is both the god of diseases and the god of recovery from disease, so it is in his ultimate control over who lives and dies from his disease. Most times, however, he will leave it up to your body to determine your fate, and if you were young, old, or infirm, it is extremely likely that you will perish. This is done to make the world a stronger place, one where disease is all pervasive but everyone is strong enough to fight it off.

Abode: Maltara lives in the Deep Fens, on the border with the Accursed territory of the Iron Marches. His army of hearty soldiers and strong, disease ridden veterans are the front line in the battles against the Accursed. Maltara takes a very specific pride knowing that, many times, it is simply him and his hand picked warriors standing between the Accursed and the complete annihilation of the Paltonarchs.

Clergy: The Clerics of Maltara tend to the ill and dying, watching over them when their families will or cannot. Though their god may not assist the diseased, he has no problem with his clerics taking his recovery aspect of his portfolio to heart. What does not kill one, only makes them stronger. Many of his clerics are immune to the plagues that wash over the land, having been exposed to them many times over, though they also tend to breath out the very corruption they seek to save in others. As carriers and healers, they function ans the perfect vessel of paradox as their master. Most Churches of Maltara are located well outside of the towns and cities they serve, keeping their deathly services far from the population at large.

Knightly Orders: The Contagion Legion is a strong and powerful warrior cult centered on the Malataran principle of hearty constitution and infection. The order seeks out orphans and trains them riggorusly in the ways of a strong body, and then when they are strong and fit enough, they expose them to the myriad of contagions that they harbor. Those we are weak either die or are exiled, and In their weakened condition, many of even those who survive to be exiled perish. Those strong enough are welcomed into the legion and are sent on missions vital to the god of Blight.

Clerical Attire/colors: The Clerics of Maltara prefer to wear the colors of their god, a simple and vile green color that evokes illness and bile. These clothes are often trimmed in a bone and cream color around the wrists and cowl, along with parallel stripes running down the center of the chest. Additionally, at the highest of ranks, they will pierce their tongue with a shortened nail to show their dedication to the god. Many die, but those who live are the most vaunted of priests.

Followers: Most of Maltaras followers are priests, able to hold disease at bay or even be completely immune to it. There are a few barbarian tribes and warrior cultures who worship disease, but they are few and far between.

Favored Appearances: Gestril favors neither sex nor race when appearing on the prime, and has come to the aid of many. Oftentimes, he appears as a member of the race of those he has come to assist, and of the opposite sex, though he looks almost the same except for the small details of his race.

In male form his is large, broad shouldered and wide of girth, though not fat. He has a sharp, angular face, with wild, jet black hair. He has lost an eye, or effects as much, and wears an eye patch over it, sewn with rubies to give the impression of an eye even on his patch. The remaining eye is wild and bright blue, betraying his inner storm. His arms and legs are toned and scarred from constant combat, and its visible that he is competent with a weapon.

His female form is similar, though less stout and more fit, as if she’s trained her entire life. her hair is long, wild and black as well, though unlike his, is not bound in a ponytail, but a leather diadem set with ice blue sapphires. Her features are broad, and wide, while his are tight and angular, though they both have only a single eye and scars to show both their temperament and their experience.

Warform: The Subtlety and power of a storm is embodied in the warform of Gestril, that of a rhinoceros. Strong, Powerful and leading the charge, this beast is composed of storm clouds and lightning bolts. Gestril may be the most powerful warrior in the Pantheon, and all who oppose him know it. His form underscores that, a horn of solid and complete Ice, and eyes of churning rage. Even though almost all of the gods and accursed take enormous forms for their warforms, Gestril is an exception even to them, towering over many of the warforms of others and powerful enough to never be attacked head on.

Personality: Gestril represents the best and worst in nature all at once. He is unforgiving and capricious as a summer storm, but he also does what is in the best interest of all, even though it may be terrifying and dangerous. Gestril is also the most brazen fighter of all the pantheon, having fought numerous duels with the Gods of War, having come out on top each time. He attributes this to the primal fury and natural skill in his person, citing that no training in the world can overcome the power of natural abilities. He is wild, strong and bombastic, and extremely opinionated. To contrast, however, he also is peaceful when unprovoked, content to wait out life and combat in idle time contemplating and listening. Once aroused to combat, he is implacable, but leave him alone and he is as dangerous as a child.

Teachings: The teachings of the Storm Lord center on a single theme:respect. Though we may not all share the same beliefs and goals, a lot can be said about simply respecting the people in the rest of the world. However, in extreme contrast, they also teach very little forgiveness: Those who break the respect granted to them are forever remembered as betrayers and the lost. There is little room in the heart for those who have proven themselves unworthy. As a Nature Aspect, he also teaches reverence and respect of nature, though in his case it is almost universally the weather. Storms, both of violent lightning and strong rain, show the Storm Gods displeasure and his wrath. What little there is to be done other than hunker down and prove your strength against the might and rage of the storms.

Abode: Gestril lives in the Tower of Reverberations, a massive tower in the center of the Marches that stretches into the sky and touches the clouds above, Though he does not train an army, per se, his followers live and reside in at the foot of the tower, constantly in the eye of an enormous storm.

Clergy: The Followers of the storm are strong, self-willed people who lead the societies they are in through deeds and words both. They strive to set an example to all the people who encounter them as unforgiving of treachery and lenient to the natural forces of man. While weakness is to be expected, complete submission to it is not. Self Reliance, strength in the face of adversity and the willingness to admit that not everything is within your power are the basic tenants of the church of Gestril. The natural way of things is unpredictable and terrifying. One can only stand against that nature for so long before they become either weak, insane. There is a path between being overrun, and losing it completely, and the Stormlords of Gestril are here to guide.

Knightly Orders: The Scions of Thunder are a small, loosely organized group of dedicated servants of Gestril, Lightning Mages who seek a greater oneness with the sound and energy of the storm. Deemed insane by many more logical people, the Scions seek out the roughest and most powerful storms to bask in the revelations they bring. Dedicated to seeking the knowledge of the universe within the dark hearts and calm eyes of the storm, they are gaining every stronger and more powerful understanding of the natural weapons of lightning and thunder, harnessing them for their own strength and power.

Clerical Attire/colors: Gestrils priests wear dark gray and ice blue when they are not in combat, wielding the spear and shield of their patron. Almost all of their robes and clothes alike are the same storm-gray with a hem and trim of the cold, clear blue. Emblazoned on their back is the eye of Gestril, the sigil of their lord and the master of storms.

Followers: Rogues, Warriors and wizards all follow the Path of storms, with some local druids and priests following the Lord of Lightning as well.

Other Titles: The Iron Mistress, The Dread Tactician, Lady Law, The Enforcer

Alignment: LN

Weapon: Ironbound Staff (Redactor)

Major Domains: Laws, Plans, Order

Minor Domains: Preperation, Tactics, Logistics

Totem Animal: Ant

Holy Symbol: A simple black and red quill, trailing a blue line in more exotic versions

Favored Appearances: Oranna is a strict and unforgiving being, and her chosen forms represent exactly that. While she prefers her female form slightly, she takes whichever form is most utilitarian for the event.

He Female form is both beautiful and rigid, unapproachable in almost every fashion, she knows each and every formality and nuance to the society she is in and will brook no deviation from it. Her hair is black, tinged with plenty of dark, dark blue, and it is formed completely in conformity with the current fashions and trends. She it tall, generally speaking, with cold blue eyes and angular features.

Her male form is similarly strict, with very similar features, including hair, eyes and height. His demeanor is pragmatic and standoffish, while hers is more factual and leading. His features, where hers a sharp, tend to be broad and flat, unassuming in the least.

Warform: The Warform of the Goddess of Laws is that of a Queen Ant, towering over her armies marching in perfect unison and fighting with precision and form. Composed of frothing waves that somehow manage to keep their form, with pincers and wings made of razor sharp ice. She can spit a blast of icy water that is so cold it manages to freeze everything it touches in place where it contacts them. Her form is so cold that where she treads, pools of frigid water gather and harden as the land freezes solid.

Personality: There is little of forgiveness or mercy in the being or Oranna, and ignorance is no excuse for not following the rules of the land. She stoutly opposes chaos in all its forms, and seeks to organize, lead and police everyone she can. Though she follows the laws to the letter and form, she grants mercy where there is leniency in the law for it. she sees no reason to punish simply for punishments sake; she is no tyrant. There are limits, however, to what little tolerance she has, and even a second offense brooks the most severe and devastating of consequences. Unwillingly breaking the law must be punished, but willing defiance is intolerable. She also takes great care in planning and executing any form of project, from the smallest of barn raising to the greatest of all invasions. While she objects to revolt and revolution, as one should work within the system if there is to be change, she finds no problem with invasion. It is a lawful and strict capacity of any nation to invade and conquer another, provided it has not pledged that it will not. The Laws tell you what you may not do, and anything outside of that is by its very definition, outside the law and legal.

Teachings: The Church of Oranna teaches the strongest and most obedient of subjugation to the laws of the land. It also teaches that within those laws are the way to happiness and strength. However, one must not only live by the laws, but they must be an ordered and thoughtful person. They must strive to make the best decision, given the circumstances, and little should be left to chance. Chance and Luck lead to chaos and the unpredictable, and that is anathema to Lady Orannas being. Plan out each day, follow the plan, make your life a bastion of order and symbol for others to follow. Live within the law at all times, and become a leader in your community and your family. Lead, when necessary, but follow when commanded.

Abode: Oranna lives in the Basilica of Edicts, an enormous building on a cliff overlooking an ocean of mercury on the western flank of the Paltonarchs territory in the Iron Marches. It is here that she leads her armies against the invading forces of the accursed and where her endless army trains and drills

Clergy: The church of Orannas priests are highly educated and sought after judges and barristers. They know the laws of their land, and sometimes others, in extreme depth, and have pledged to complete impartiality when dealing with the law. Additionally, they can be sought out for assistance when it comes to traversing legal matters, including laying claim to land, writing up a will, and bringing justice to lawbreakers. Sometimes, however, Nobles and aristocracy who believe themselves to be above the law find them to be a tedious and tiresome bunch, always telling them what they can and cannot do. Many households have a priest of Oranna as an adviser but not all of them listen.

Knightly Orders: Laws exist for people to follow, and order is best maintained by those who follow the laws. However, not everyone understands this concept. The Lexions, Orannas tactical and military arm, are the enforcers of this concept. This Order has two branches, the Arbiters and the Mitigators. The Arbiters are called upon to lead a confrontation with groups of unruly or rebellious peoples, and will teach the forces of those lawfully in charge how to fight against and defeat a rebellious mass. The Mitigators simply do the work themselves. They will not rush into battle, but they will simply hunt down the lawbreakers to the end of the world. There is no place that they can hide, and no amount of time that can pass before justice is met Once the contract has been signed, there is no escaping their proscribed punishment.

Clerical Attire/colors: Oranna’s colors are deep blue-grays and vivid whites, able to stand in contrast to one another. The robes of her followers are adorned on the left side of their chest, slightly higher than center, with her holy symbol. All of her priests, called Adjudicators, have pages and pages dedicated to the prescribed clothes that a priest must wear, how and when they wear them, and how to cut and take care of them. Resultingly, they present a uniform front to the world in their long robes, deep sleeves and great hoods.

Followers: Most followers of Oranna are planners and judges, with many great tacticians pledging that they owe all of their capacity to their fealty to Oranna. Generals, however, are more apt to be a follower of a war god. Some mages, and the rare warrior will dedicate themselves to the Iron Mistress, but most prefer a more lenient master.

Favored Appearances: Kara generally favors a female form, but has no problems taking a male form as well, if it suits her. Though she takes on whatever form is needed to accomplish her goals, she has some specific traits she leans to when on the prime. Her female form is homely and nondescript, though pretty enough to catch the eye of those men or women she feels she needs to seduce for a night or longer. She is unremarkable when she desires and can burn in your mind when she finds it useful. Her hair is mid length, and often a light brown, and she dresses modestly, though not poor. She wears no jewelry or other distinctive markings, though she does carry her dagger wherever she goes.

Her male form is one that stands out and gets attention, though not in a good way. He has dark hair and eyes, with a close cut beard of the same shade. He fumbles about along his way, seeming to alternately limp and stumble forwards. He keeps his eyes down, his clothes plain, and his voice low.

Warform: A venomous serpent composed of whirling stone and ice, her warform slides forward into battle. Unlike most serpents, hers has a barb on the tail dripping with venom as well as fangs as large around as a mans thigh made of lightning. Her main form of combat is that of a swift strike from either her fangs or her barb, and she is equally deadly with both.

Personality: Kara is an unrepentant thief with little morals with endless lies pouring from her mouth. Yet she alone may have saved the Paltonarchs from a miserable end by personally slaying Ferosh, betraying the young rebels and turning herself in to the Paltonarch leadership. Though there is little to believe about her, her loyalty to the cause has never wavered. She has personally slain a number of Accursed, and continues to deceive and trick her way into and out of their camps, gathering information and slaying vital assets. She is prickly about her status, and while she is convinced she took the correct action in betraying the Young Rebels, she does not feel that she is truly welcome at all times.

Teachings: Kara is truly a dark teacher, one of the great vile minds in the Paltonarch ranks. She teaches subversive and dangerous lessons to her followers: Lie, Cheat and Steal: What you can take is yours by right. To build upon that, she also teaches that ones life is always greater than that of any others, and preserving your own life in any way necessary is the very basis of existence. She preaches skill and honing your craft, but she also teaches that it is better to be lucky than good. Finally, she teaches not to be content with your position in life. always seek to ursurp and overtake those with better status and or means than you. Take what you can, and leave nothing behind.

Abode: Kara lives in the Darkened Deep, a labyrinth of tunnels leading to a great underground keep carved completely out of obsidian. Its dark, dank and full of snakes. From here, Kara works with the darker side of the Paltonarchs war, leading surgical strikes and deep reconnaissance as needed.

Clergy: Kara has few clergy that worship her and spread the word as she is deemed, while a worthwhile asset, treacherous and dangerous. Those who do keep her faith are tolerated as long as they do not break the laws, a tall order, or sometimes, when they are the law.

Knightly Orders: While the order would not be considered Knightly, Kara does have a sect of extremely devoted followers. They call themselves the Adders Fangs, and they are assassins that seek out and slay the richest and most wealthy beings that they can find. While many times that means killing powerful merchants and great lords, every once in a while it will entail rounding up a group of like minded folk and heading into a dungeon to plunder a lichs tomb or to slay a powerful dragon and collect its hoard. These dark and sinister people are also for hire – For the right price, and have been known to end whole wars before they can start for their clients.

Clerical Attire/colors: Clerics of Kara are known as the faceless, as they are all sworn to wear a black, opaque cloth mask. It is not known whether or not they can see through it, however, as some seem extremely clumsy, yet others can be said to “look” you right in the eye. They wear navy blue shirts and trousers, and tend to be armed both with a standard short sword for defense, but also a curved, snakeheaded dagger is always on their person.

Followers: Assassins, thieves and thugs are among Karas most reverent followers, but there are also wizards, warriors and strong men who follower her as well.

Favored Appearances: Taralin is one of the most active and influential gods on the moral realm, and as such his appearance has changed numerous times over the ages. Currently, his favored forms are that of lively people, humans and elves most times, but occasionally dwarves, who have very similar features.

When male, he has long silver hair, bright blue eyes and a winning smile. He is of average height most times, though he leans on the short side. His frame is that of the average man, one who works every day of their life to attempt to feed their family and themselves. When preparing for combat, he wears black leathers trimmed in silver, and wields a pair of Sabers.

In female form, he is again a slighter, smaller person, but no skinnier than anyone else. Her eyes are bright green, and her smile is warm, with her long silver hair tied up in a but with a few wisps let out to trail down her back. She is a little older but has not lost the vigor, and only a touch of the beauty, of youth. She carries the same weapons and wears the same armor as her male counterpart.

Warform: As befits the god of life, his warform is that of a boar, stubbornly clinging to life past when all sense and reason has engulfed it. A towering (how many different ways can I find to say “big?”) Boar with a body composed completely of fire, with hooves that leave smoking craters and a mane of yellow-white flame. His eyes stream smoke from the great blue flames within. His tusks, are white hot flame jutting from a dull red mouth, both hard as steel and insubstantial as flame.

Personality: Taralin is a boisterus, jovial character, pleased to meet new people and enamored by the variety of personalities and people within this world. However, he is also grim and guarded, always on the lookout for challenges and dangers. Taralin values life, and holds it sacred, but that sword, very literally swings both ways. He is uncompromising when it comes to dangerous people and those who have unjustifiably taken a life. He shows no mercy to these criminals and metes justice out in his own way.

Along side his brother and greatest friend, Dagor, god of Death, they hunt the undead endlessly across the world with their aspects. He cannot abide their stench in this world or the next, and constantly looks to eliminate them wherever possible.

Teachings:While Taralin is the god of life, you can’t be a pacifist in this world of violence, and you must be ready to defend yourself and others if the time comes, even to the point of hunting down those who threaten or have harmed others. Many times, the laws will protect or shelter those who have done wrong, and you must do all in your power to circumvent them, but if the laws would permit vengeance to be taken through them, it is better to abide by them.

The undead are an abomination on this world for any reason, and the guardian of life must seek out and destroy every suspected one of these vile creatures. All life must end, and it must not be evaded. To every beginning there is an end, and we all must play our part.

Abode: Taralin lives in the Temple of Vitality, a modest structure of stone and iron that is surrounded by a blazing wall of fire. Here, the new comers of the Paltonarchs legions are trained and readied for combat against the Accursed and their warriors. Taralin is also in charge of guarding the borders of the lands held by the Paltonarchs, and it is here that his weary wardens come to rest and plan for their next excursion.

Clergy: The priests of Taralin are a quiet lot, standing in the shadows of the more warlike and flashy gods that rule the elements. They teach that stoicism, patience and the reverence for all life is the key to a happy life of your own. They grow glorious gardens of amazing foods while also tending to herds of livestock to provide to those in need. The reverence of life extends to the wild places of the world, and many rangers and druids take up the tenants of Taralin during their lifetime, becoming holy wardens of nature and the sanctity of plants and animals as well. They will not, however, punish a person for taking only what they need. Life is both a precious gift and a commodity to be spent well when needed.

Priests of life are, along with the priests of Pain, present at many childbirths, while also being present at the burial or cremation of an individual, extolling their life and the sacrifices they made for others.

Knightly Orders: One of the most prolific Knightly Orders on all of Tysis is that of the Temple Knights of Taralins Sacred Wards, or the Sacred Templar for short. These dedicated men and women of all races have dedicated themselves to the stewardship of towns and cities alike, along with remote places that can’t truly fend for themselves. They often hold high rank in town guard, militia or local nobles military, instructing and preparing for defense as needed. While they are skilled leaders and able combatants, they have vowed only to lead punitive attacks against those who have wronged their communities and will never be seen leading an aggressors army.

Clerical Attire/colors: Clerics of Taralin favor simple black and silver garb, though a white tabard emblazoned with the Blue Ankh is popular as well. Many high ranking priests wear silver circlets embedded with a sapphire to signify their position, though it is voluntary. Warriors of Taralin tend to wear white and blue, with the black being the accent color to their garb. Red, as well, is a popular color, but mostly among the vengeful and justice seeking sects. Taralins clergy and warriors also tend to wear the heaviest armor possible, as staying alive oneself is the best way to keep defending life.

Followers: Taralin tends to attract rangers, guards, and hunters along with a number of shamans, a few dwarves and sometimes even a mage or two.

Favored Appearances: Dagor, unlike many gods, has a three favored appearances. The first is by far his most preferred, that of an non-gendered gray being covered in scales, with bat wings and clawed hands and feet. Completely outside of any of the species on Kasan, Dagor chooses this form to show that death is not any one race or culture, but affects all of them. When he wishes to be known that his presence is near, he adopts this form to prevent any denial of his involvement.

When taking his male and female forms, he adopts the look of the race he is interacting with directly. Both forms, male and female, are middle aged but with long, gray hair tied back in a ponytail. His limbs and mind are strong, and he is generally loquacious when encountered. Though he is grim, there is no sign of depression or resignation. He simply does his job.

Warform: The warform of the god of Death is that of a spider made of stone and bones. His long, hairless legs are pure obsidian, ending in razor sharp tips, as are his mandibles, which drip a toxic poison. His body is made of polished marble and granite, run through with blue and black veins that seem to pulse with his every move. His eight eyes are all topaz, seeing deep into both the being in front of him and their souls history.

Personality: While Grim and determined, Dagor is a god who knows his position and domain. He is pragmatic, seeing things in their most direct light and trying to puzzle out their inner workings. He sees things as very black and white, acknowledging very few of life’s great puzzles as legitimate, instead viewing them as misguided methods of detracting from the truth. Dagor and his brother Taralin are the guardians of the proper ways of life and death in the world. Dagor seeks not to end life before its time, or to shed blood, and he does not rule over the land of the dead. Instead, he seeks to both enforce the rules of death and to protect those that are dead from tampering. Among his most hated enemies are the undead created by the Demon Queen or to extend life beyond its normal conclusion. There are some undead, guardians of sacred burials or shrines and even those returning after a life cut short who are tolerable in the eyes of Dagor. However, each are treated differently. In the first case, they are revered companions who have been chosen to be kept from the Iron Marches and guard the dead. In the second they are poor spirits who must be helped so that they can move on, and should not be wantonly destroyed.

Teachings: Chief among the tenants of Dagor is that death comes to all things. It is the cycle and expectation that every living thing and every being on the planet must, at some time, die. To defy that primal structure is to defy the entirety of the cosmos. Dagor, and his priests, are the great enforcers of this system, working with the priests of Life to ensure that the cycle continues forever. He also teaches that the dead must be protected and properly interred, however they came to rest. Often it is his priests that wander the battlefield afterward, seeing to the dead, ensuring their consecration and preventing their Resurrection to serve the Demon Queen.

Finally, he teaches that at the end of the day, there is no greater honor than to die in service to your cause. Death comes to all of us, why not make it mean something.

Abode: Dagor lives in the Citadel of Rest, where he presides over the incoming souls of the fallen on Kasan and assigns them their place in the Iron Marches. He knows each soul, who’s claimed it, and where they can best serve their master. Though he is often a front line fighter in the war, his Citadel, being so vital to the continued war effort, is among the farthest back in the Paltonarchs lands.

Clergy: Dagors clergy, known as Keepers, are one of the largest and most revered institutions in the entire world. They provide burial services, keep the graveyards and crematoriums, and all the while make sure that the dead stay dead. They have churches in nearly every town and every locale that almost any sentient race abides. They are, by almost every law and unspoken accord, treated as non-combatants after a battle and are allowed to work unmolested.

Knightly Orders: The Sepulcher Knights are staunch order of Dagors clergy. They consist of three branches, the Gray Slayers, the Revokers and the Silencers, formed by a coalition of brothers who each had their own method of slaying undead. The Gray Slayers are master huntsmen and trackers, well versed in the many forms of undead, their habits and their lairs. The Revokers are holy warriors, blessed by Dagor to exterminate the most foul of undead with strength of arms and the force of might. The Silencers are devout wizards and priests who have studied the vast ways to exterminate the vile spellcasting and cursed undead, while also being well versed in how to protect their compatriots from the great harm they can cause. The Seplucher Knights often form Triumvirates of close knit brothers in arms that seek out and destroy undead, using the Silencers knowledge, the Revokers strength of arms and the Slayers wiles.

Clerical Attire/colors: The Attire of the clergy of Dagor is simple grey robes with a black leather belt. When performing the functions of their priesthood, they also wear an ivory skull-mask. Their attire is simple and unadorned. The Sepulcher Knights, however, wear a deep gray for the Slayers, brilliant white for the Silencers and flat black for the Revokers. While they may not always wear that attire completely, they always have a token of their respective sect. Oftentimes the Revokers are the most ostentatious and the Silencers the least.

Followers: Dagor has many followers, though those among the warrior and rogue professions tend to gravitate to him more often. Elves and dwarves, for different reasons tend also to respect and worship Dagor: Elves for the end that he represents to all and dwarves for the stoic devotion he shows toward his assigned task.

Other Titles: Daughter of War, Queen of Chivalry, The Duelist, Chaste Lady

Alignment: Lawful Good

Weapon: Great Sword (Custodian)

Major Domains: Honor, Personal Combat, Purity

Minor Domains: Lawful Punishment, Weddings, Oaths, Duels

Totem Animal: Unicorn

Holy Symbol: An open faced helm with three long, sharply upturning horns. Two of the horns come from the Brow and one from the back of the head.

Favored Appearances: Valeas is much more active on the prime world than many of her Paltonarch peers. To aid in her ventures she has developed a form that is both nondescript and constant, enabling her to slip in and out of conflicts without much fuss. She generally appears as a woman of average height and weight, with shoulder length red hair and deep blue eyes. She has the physique and the gait of someone who’s fought for her entire life, despite being so young.

Her male form is just as standard, with bright, fiery red curly hair, dark eyes and dark skin. both forms wear half plate and carry greatswords both of unknown metal and unknown craftsmanship. in both forms, she carries with her an air of respect, but not one of command. following orders as given by the commanders of the causes she chooses to champion.

Warform: Valeas’ warform is that of a flaming unicorn of ash and coal. Her body and coat are of condensed ashes and her eyes are blazing purple embers. her hooves and horn are wispy and fiery, shifting shape, size and form constantly as the battle wears on.

Personality: A stern warrior and a stoic champion of the causes of goodness and right, Valeas has been witness to many of the deprivations of evil in all forms, from accursed and demons to the teachings of her fellow Paltonarchs. Though it causes friction within her own family and her own organization, she stands against evil in all its principals and actions, and though it pains her personally, she has come to blows with her older brother repeatedly on the fields of the Iron Marches. Though she rarely leads the fight or determines the limits of the engagement, she is the consummate champion of a cause, seeking out the hardest and most deadly challenges facing her fellow warriors, heedless to the cost to her self. Though never called meek or timid, she does not try and impose her code of honor on others and simply seeks to lead by example.

Teachings: Valeas teaches a very strict code of conduct that tolerates no wavering or second thoughts. It is also unconcerned with actions beyond the code, giving great latitude for the student and followers to determine what causes they should champion and why. Though the code is long and detailed, the main tenants, called the Four Dictates.
1. Abide no evil either within your person or within your site. Work against it in all its forms.
2. Confront all trials directly and with force, if necessary. Lingering troubles and unanswered misdeeds will only fester and come back to haunt you.

3. Be Honorable. In nothing you do should you allow yourself to commit dark deeds or shady thoughts. Commit yourself to being the the best among those around you.

4. Follow, do not lead. Your deeds are the examples to others, and what cause you choose to follow speaks volumes. Offer your fealty, and keep to it once you see a worthy cause and leader.

Abode: As with all of the gods of war, Valeas’ castle, The Hall of Light, is on the front lines of the war with the Accursed. Unlike the others, though, her fortress is not her own. The Hall of Light is under the purview of her father, Takannas, and she rules in his name, commanding troops for him as a trusted general, but never taking the lead on her own.

Clergy: The church of Valeas is a deeply structured and ordered affair, attempting to lead the way forward with good deeds and good words. Unlike many churches, the clergy of Valeas all swear oaths of fealty to the honorable lords and dukes that they serve. Many families retain the services of the Church for generations, but some take that as an oath to the family, when it is instead an oath to each leader in turn. It is hard to find large churches of Valeas, though there are many abandoned buildings which once sheltered the faithful. The Church tends to be a school of law, teaching the next generation about the laws, traditions, customs and taboos of the land they have been born into.

Knightly Orders: Of all the gods, Valeas has the most knightly orders pledged to her. In order to not violate the fourth Dictate, each and every one is ruled by a council of knights, selected by the sworn brothers and sisters of each order. Each Order has its own term length and selection process. The greatest among these are the Chosen of Valeas, though they are few in number they are gifted with the divine manifestation of their god on Kasan: a unicorn mount. Though both men and women are Chosen, the order has an overwhelmingly female majority. The Chosen ride into battle not as champions as causes, but as champions of concepts. Unique among the orders, their are no leaders in the Chosen, because each feels the touch of Valeas directly, and receives visions and direction from her alone.

Clerical Attire/colors: Clerics of Valeas are always ready for combat, carrying weapons, arms and armor with them at almost all times. Accessories to plain metal armor are often bone or black colored, along with a a trademark deep gray cloak, almost sliver. Pauldrons, attached over the cloak are bone colored and vary in size dependent on the tastes of the wearer. Finally, many followers choose to sport the tri-horned helm to delineate them in combat from their lesser companions and to serve as a calling sign to the champions of their opponents: herein is a warrior of great ability and skill, meet me in battle if you dare!

Followers: Most followers of Valeas are soldiers, knights and other powerful combatants. Many oppressed or downtrodden members of society will also take to her worship to portray their goodness and be an example to others. Few Nobles or other high ranking individuals in society tend to take Valeas as their patron due to the Dictate to follow, something these individuals find extraordinarily hard to do.

Holy Symbol: The Holy Symbol of Ariannas is a face with one half covered in a steel mask, and the other nude. The masked half of the face is of shining, gleaming steel with an Emerald eye, a wicked grin, and a bull’s horn. The unmasked half has long, flowing red hair with a wild green eye and a grin to match the mask. These two sides represent the two aspects of her personality. The masked aspect is that of her dedication to the art of war, particularly the crushing of your enemy, the ruthlessness of the battlefield and the subjugation of the weak. Her unmasked aspect represents her dedication to banditry, ambush, revolt and uprising.Favored Appearances: Ariannas, in the time before the godswar, led her human servants and warriors against the forces of the other, powerful gods. In that time, she favored a towering, powerful Human form that was both beautiful and terrifying. Her powerful form moved gracefully and purposefully, her long red hair trailing behind her. She knew she was a beauty and used it to her advantage. In war, however, the beauty of her form was subservient to her terrifying armor, accentuating nothing of her physical form and built for protection and movement equally. A full helm with bulls horns graced her head, and her godly chain mail shone in the sun. When ambushing , she was as plain as anyone else, her hair tied back, her movements quiet and her leather and chain oiled into silence.
Ariannas is also one of the few Gods that feels a deep connection to one sex over another. While she has been seen and has used a male form, it is generally nondescript and boring, with a flat, tired face with a broken nose and scars on his face. He is neither bulky nor thin, and is uninspiring in every way. It is as if she puts no effort whatsoever into this form.

Warform: Ariannas’ Warform on the Iron Marches is that of Bull made almost purely of flame, with hardened ash hooves and a black-fire horns. Her Teeth are jagged obsidian and her eyes are blazing yellow flame. She leads the troops in battle from the front, goring, charging and rampaging through the enemy lines. She seems impervious to pain, with the wounds just stirring her to greater and greater feats of violence.

Personality: Ariannas is a violent, temperamental and wicked being. She is quick to be offended, hard to placate and swift to violence. She ruthlessly hunts down those who offend her to either kill or challenge them. She followers her own set of rules and has keep vendettas of her own for years and years. Within all of that chaos, though, is a dedication to her causes and her father, Takannas. She believes so strongly in subjugation of the week, and the uprisings of the conquered that she supports these events unconditionally. Knowing this, she was approached by Ferosh, god of ambition when he first hatched his plan to rebel. Though Ariannas originally considered their position, she felt such a strong tie to the subjugation of the lesser gods by her father that she stood by his side. However, she kept to herself the knowledge of the eventual rebellion, and that knowledge resulted in the deaths of many gods.

Teachings: Ariannas teaches a simple theology of retribution and violence. She teaches that violence, far from being an unnecessary solution, is the most simplest, direct and convincing solution to almost every problem. When you can’t beat the enemy in war, beat them in ambush and assassination. Kill the enemy however long it takes, however difficult it may be. Don’t make the end easy on them either. Her domains of both subjugation and revolt seem to cause a conflict of interest, but her real calling is violence. If no one set out to conquer others, there would be little violence, and if none of those people who had been conquered revolted, there would be even less. Building on that theme, Ariannas very much differentiates resistance and governance from revolt and subjugation, respectively. You cannot revolt until you’ve already been subjugated, and you cannot subjugate that which you already rule. Though these ideas seem to conflict, the spread of violence, through whatever means, is her main goal.

Abode: The great, gleaming silver castle of Crushing Doom stands forbiddingly at the edge of the territory that the Paltonarchs control at the edge of the Iron Marches. From here she leads her forces into bloody ambushes and crushing pitched battles. Crushing Doom itself is a fortress filled with ruthless cutthroats, bloody warlords and victorious dictators all vying for Ariannas’ attention.

Clergy: The priests of Ariannas are great war-leaders and rabble rousers, delivering the message of power through strength in arms. They give their clergy hope no matter which side they take, and stride into battle with them, propelling them to great fits of violence, bringing the goddess directly onto the battlefield with them in spirit. Those who die in battle are glorified, being willing to shed not only the blood of others for her glory, but also their own lives.

Knightly Orders: The Children of Battle are Ariannas’ most famous knightly orders. These knights, if they can even be called that, turn into frothing berserkers at the first sign of conflict, raging against their foes, but often flying out of control and causing damage to their allies before being stopped. Together, these warriors find glory in death, violence, and the revolts of the conquered. The Children of Battle tend to offer their services to revolts and uprisings, as they tend to tolerate the ends justifying the means of the berserkers they have hired where armies of subjugation tend not to.

Clerical Attire/colors: Deep red cloaks adorn both the clerics and the Children of Battle while they tend to their flocks and enter battle. They adapt to the method of combat they are attempting, adopting gleaming, bright, silver armor, often adorned with great forward angled bull horns, in pitched battles and conquest while taking a more subdued, natural approach with greens and browns along side their deep reds.

Followers: The followers of Ariannas tend to be short tempered, and quick to violence. As such, she tends to patronize athletes, barbarians, and of course berserkers, in addition to Kings, emperors, revolutionaries and a few assassins and thieves. She also has a sizable population of Orcs and Goblins with even dwarves under her purview.

The concept for Ariannas is that of a battle goddess that is one of the twins born to Takannas, the god of war. While he embodies the concept as a whole, his twin daughters represent the dark side and the honorable side of combat. His younger sun, Kalboras, represents the personal side. She should be chaotic, dangerous, and unstable.